The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy
recently announced that they will begin working together, and, as part
of this partnership, the Energy Star program will now fall under the work
of the EPA. In addition, as part of the announcement, the groups announced
that EPA will be establishing a Super Star program as well. According
to the announcement, products in the top 25 percent will qualify as Energy
Star and those in the top 5 percent will qualify as Super Star. Though
the EPA and DOE currently have named the new program Super Star, they
note that “the name and look of this higher tier will be developed through
market research.”

EPA will handle the marketing, outreach, monitoring and verification,
and setting the performance levels for the programs; however, the announcement
notes that “performance levels will be set using established and consistent
principles for the Energy Star brand.”

The DOE will continue to support this program as well, “by increasing
its efforts in monitoring and verifying test procedure compliance and
the development of federal test procedures and metrics.”

The EPA will maintain the database of Energy Star and Super Star products
and test results, and will develop the list of new products to be added
to the program.

With the partnership, a Governing Council will be formed. The Council
will include the EPA assistant administrator for air and radiation and
the DOE’s assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy.
They will work together ensure that work programs between DOE and EPA
are complementary and not duplicative, and will “leverage federal dollars
to achieve maximum energy efficiency.” They also will hold meetings twice
annually with program stakeholders, according to the announcement.

Ann Bailey, director of Energy Star product labeling for the EPA, spoke
with DWM magazine about the changes and advised that no staff will move
from DOE to EPA.

She added, “The EPA and DOE will be working very closely. I don’t know
exactly how they intend to staff the program.”

As for the door, window and skylight criteria and the impending criteria
changes, Bailey said EPA currently has no plans to change this.

“We have no immediate plans to change the criteria,” Bailey said. “As
part of the transition we’ll be looking at all of the specifications and
making sure they remain consistent with our Energy Star principles.”

She also addressed the reason for the move.

“We’ve been looking for ways to clarify the roles and responsibilities
between the two agencies and with the new political management it was
a high priority for the success of the program,” added Bailey.

We have no immediate
plans to change the criteria. As part of the transition we’ll be looking
at all of
the specifications and making sure they remain consistent with our Energy
Star principles.
—Ann Bailey, EPA

Industry Reacts
Just a few days after that EPA announcement, an Energy Efficiency Town
Hall Forum was held during GlassBuild America in Atlanta. The Energy Star
changes were a popular topic during the seminar, sponsored by Edgetech
IG.

Edgetech’s Tracy Rogers advised that the timeline for looking at Phase
II criteria is now unknown in light of the agency changes.

“These changes will not affect 2010 Energy Star changes,” says Rogers,
“but there were discussions concerning Phase II during the seminar. The
DOE was set to look at phase two this month, but this timeline is now
unknown.”

Brandon Tinianov, Ph.D., chief technology officer for Serious Materials
in Sunnyvale, Calif., spoke during the forum as well, and following the
seminar, advised DWM magazine he’s excited about the new tiered system—but
has mixed feelings about the move.

“As an industry professional I have really mixed feelings about the announcement,”
said Tinianov. “I’m excited about the class for an Energy Star and an
Energy Super Star and in talking to some of my industry peers that seems
to be the consensus.”